Villaria multibracteata (Elmer) Arriola & Alejandro, 2020

2. Villaria multibracteata (Elmer) Arriola & Alejandro View in CoL , comb. nov.

Hypobathrum multibracteatum Elmer (1934) View in CoL 3250. — Lectotype (designated here): Elmer 15674 (lecto NY131934 ), Philippines, Province of Sorsogon, Irosin.

Shrubs to small trees, 2–2.5 m tall; branches glabrous. Stipules triangular, 5.5–6 by 1.5–2 mm, keel prominent from the lower 1/3 to the tip, outer surface glabrous, inner surface densely pilose at the base, margin sparsely ciliate, colleters few, 0.3–0.5 mm long. Leaves: petioles 2–4 by c. 2 mm, glabrous; blades lanceolate to ovate, 2.5–5.5 by 2.5–4 cm, recurved towards the tip, base obtuse, apex acuminate, submembranous, glabrous on both sides except for the sparsely pubescent midrib underneath; secondary veins 8–11 on each side. Inflorescences supra-axillary, 2–2.5 mm above the node, few-flowered dichasial cymes; peduncles 1–3.5 cm long, glabrous; pedicels 4–8 mm long, glabrous; bracts triangular, 0.6–1.5 by c. 0.4 mm, apex acute, glabrous outside, densely pilose inside, margin sparsely ciliate; colleters few at the base inside. Calyx View in CoL : tube infundibuliform, 2–3 by 1.5–2 mm, glabrous throughout; lobes triangular, 0.3–0.5 by c. 0.2 mm, glabrous on both sides, margins sparsely ciliate. Corolla View in CoL : tube infundibuliform, 2.5–3 by 0.8–1.5 mm, glabrous inside and outside; lobes ovate, c. 1.5 by 0.5–1 mm, glabrous outside, sparsely pilose at the base inside, margins glabrous. Anthers 0.9–1.2 by c. 0.5 mm, with upper 1/3 partially exserted. Style 1–1.5 mm long; stigmatic branches narrowly elliptic to elliptic, c. 2.5 mm long, papillate inside, projected beyond the mouth of the corolla tube. Fruits green, 1–2.3 by 1–1.5 cm; stalk 1–2.5 cm long, glabrous. Seeds ovate to oblong, 3–5 mm long, brown.

Distribution — Philippines ( Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Laguna, Quezon, Samar, Sorsogon, Zambales Prov.).

Habitat & Ecology — Along forest trails and deep ravines in primary forest. Flowering: January to March; fruiting: March to May.

Additional specimens studied. THE PHILIPPINES, Bataan, Arriola T023 (USTH), Arriola & Banag TA023 (USTH), Vidal y Soler 3076 (K), Whitford 1061 (K), Williams 1061 (K); Irosin, Elmer 15925 (P); Mariveles, Loher 1477 (K); Quezon, BS (Ramos & Edaño) 28586 (K); Samar, BS (Ramos) 17503 (K, P); Sorsogon, Arriola & Buera T012 (USTH), Elmer 15511 (P).

Note — Villaria multibracteata resembles V. purpurea in its lanceolate leaf blades and cymose inflorescences. However, V. multibracteata differs by its narrower leaf blades with fewer nerves and the presence of multiple triangular bracts. This feature of the bracts distinguishes the species from all other Villaria species.